Friday's Photo: Mr. William Roger's Niece

This photo was found in the Frye family's collection of photos taken primarily in and near Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Photos in this collection were often people from Fryeburg, Heflin, Ringgold, and areas nearby. On the back of this photo is written "Mr Wm Rogers niece." This young woman's dress with a high neck is indicative of those worn around 1900. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2023 

Mr. Wm Rogers niece, photograph, abt. 1900; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019. Used with permission. 

Friday's Photo: It Worked! Using a Wildcard in my Search to Identify this Photo of Henry Green Davis of Bienville Parish, Louisiana

Until yesterday, this photo was labeled "unknown." There was a name on the back of the photo, but it was written in pencil on the gray card and not readable. However, enlarging the scanned image and playing with the filter colors allowed me to make out Henry and a D at the beginning of his last name. In hopes of finding this photo at Ancestry.com, I searched for Henry D* in Bienville Parish using a wildcard - an * after the D indicating that there were multiple letters after the D. 

It worked! I filtered the search to "Pictures" and found an identical photo on the first results page. Thank you to the Bienville Parish family researcher who shared an identical photo on Ancestry.com and at Find a Grave. And thank you to the Frye family, who allowed me to scan and share their photos. 

Henry Green Davis

Henry Green Davis was born on 12 March 1874 in Bienville Parish. He married Carrie Maude Helfin in 1901, and they had at least seven children. Henry owned a mercantile store in Hope (now Fryeburg) in Bienville Parish. He died in 1928 and is buried in Bistneau Cemetery along with his wife, his parents, and many other family members. 

Using Wildcards

In my search for the identification of the photo, I used a wildcard at Ancestry.com. Many sites allow the use of wildcards to improve search results. However, each site may have different rules for using wildcards. The next time you visit a genealogical site, read the help pages for search tips and information about using wildcards. Check out the helpful links below. 

Find easy-to-understand explanations of how to use wildcards, quotation marks, and Boolean Operators at FishWrap The official blog of Newspapers.com. 

At the Find My Past Blog, see nice examples of using wildcards and suggestions for using wildcards in more than just names. 

Julie Cahill Tarr's blog post Are You Reading the Help Section? has links to help sections of many genealogy and related sites. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2023 

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50230323/henry-green-davis: accessed 16 February 2023), memorial page for Henry Green Davis (12 Mar 1874–26 May 1928), Find a Grave Memorial ID 50230323, citing Bistineau Cemetery, Heflin, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA; Maintained by Nancy E. Collins (contributor 47113696).

Henry Green Davis, photograph, n.d.; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019.

ponderosalady, "Edwards, Davis, Thomas, Tooke," public tree, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/4254831/person/-778306430/facts : accessed 16 February 2023).

Friday's Photo: Lillie Mae Trott, from Bienville Parish to San Francisco

Lillie Mae Trott  1895 - 1985 [1]

Lillie Mae Trott, the daughter of Lula Laura Cook and William Jackson Trott, was born on 22 May 1895 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Lillie Mae's father was from Alabama, but her mother grew up in Bienville Parish. Lula Laura Cook was the daughter of Joseph Cook and Josie Bryan and the granddaughter of Joseph Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly.[2] 

Lillie Mae grew up in Bienville Parish with two siblings, Allie Belle Trott and William Bryan Trott.[3] Lillie's father, William Trott, was a teacher in 1900 and 1910 but is shown as a farmer on the census in 1920.[4] Lula Laura, her mother, was known to be a teacher assistant and was appointed postmaster at Ringgold in 1932.[5] 

Lillie Mae Trott - about 1916 [11]

Lillie Mae married Herbert Benjamin Scott of Hope, Louisiana (now known as Fryeburg) sometime before 13 February 1916, when she was found as a resident of Hope as Mrs. H. B. Scott.[6] In December of 1917, Lillie Mae was working as a teacher in a public school in Hope, Louisiana but lived on Templeman Street in Shreveport.[7] By 1920 Lillie Mae and Herbert were living in Ringgold.[8] 

In 1922 Lillie Mae and her husband moved to Georgetown, Louisiana, and by 1926 they built a home in Pollock described as a residence and garage. The garage may have been a Ford dealership as H. B. Scott was the Ford Dealer in Pollock. At one time, it was also described as a filling station.[9] 

Lillie Mae was an active community member in Pollock. She was president of the PTA and a member of the State PTA Board; she organized the Pollock Community Fair and attended the State Woman's Missionary meeting in New Orleans.[10] 

Lillie Mae and Herbert had two children; Mary Beth Scott in 1920 and Jack Anthony Scott, who died at birth in 1926.[12] 

In 1928, the City Cafe opened in Pollock with Lillie Mae as the manager. On the 1930 U. S. Census, Lillie Mae's occupation was listed as a salesman in the insurance industry while her husband sold cars.[13] 

By 1931, Hebert Scott lived in Hope while Lillie Mae remained in Pollock. The Scott home burned later that year, and Lillie Mae and her daughter eventually moved to Alexandria.[14] 

Lillie Mae married Captain William W. Murphey on 15 February 1936 in Minden, Louisiana, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Hunter. They may have met in Alexandria as Captain Murphey was the executive officer at Camp Beauregard in Alexandria prior to their marriage. Following their marriage, they lived in Alabama and the Philippine Islands.[15] 

In the summer of 1941, Lillie Mae and her daughter, Mary Beth, evacuated the Philippine Islands with other military families due to safety concerns.[16] William Murphey, a Lieutenant Colonel, remained at Fort Stotsenburg in the Philippines and was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Bataan. He was eventually transferred to a prison camp on Honshu, where he died on 31 January 1945.[17]

After leaving the Philippines, Lillie Mae lived in San Francisco until the age of 85 when she moved to Alabama to live with her daughter. Lillie Mae died at the age of 90 in Alabama. She and her husband are buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery.[18] 

Click on the links below to see photos of Lillie Mae as a child and other Trott family photos.

Friday's Photo: A trip to George Washington's Mount Vernon in 1939

Friday's Photo: A Trott Family Home in Bienville Parish

Friday's Photo: William Jackson Trott and Lula Laura Cook Wedding Photo - Bienville Parish 1893

Friday's Photo: The Trott Sisters, Lillie Mae, and Allie Belle, of Bienville Parish, Louisiana

Friday's Photo: The William J. Trott Family of Bienville Parish, Louisiana

From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Lula Laura Cook Trott

Friday's Photo: Benjamin F. Trott and Daughter Annie

Friday's Photo: Grandma Trott

Friday's Photo: Sam Trott

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2022 

    1. Lillie Mae Trott, photograph, n.d.; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019.

    2.  Vera Meeks Wimberly, Wimberly Family History, Ancestors, Relatives, and Descendants of William Wimberly, Pioneer from Georgia to Louisiana 1837 (Houston Texas: D. Anderson, 1979), 350-351.

    3. ibid.

    4. 1910 U.S. Census, Bienville, Louisiana, population schedule, Ward 4,  enumeration district 8, page 13A, dwelling 206, family  206, William J. Trott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/31111_4329971-00342?pId=166957930 : accessed 16 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll T624_509. Also, 1900 U.S. Census, Bienville Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Ringgold, ward 4,  enumeration district 7, page 2A, dwelling 23, family 23, W. J. Trott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4120173_00878?pId=5899283: accessed 21 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 509. Also, 1920 U.S. Census, Bienville, Louisiana, population schedule, ward 4,  enumeration district 140, page 2A, dwelling 163, family 153, W. J. Trott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300961_00278?pId=29023813 : accessed 28 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 606. 

    5. 1910 U.S. Census, Bienville, Louisiana, population schedule, Ward 4,  enumeration district 8, page 13A, dwelling 206, family  206, William J. Trott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/31111_4329971-00342?pId=166957930 : accessed 16 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll T624_509. Also, New Postmaster Takes Position at Ringgold, The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), 27 April 1932, p.5; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100644436/lula-laura-cook-trott-postmaster/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    6. Personals, The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), 13 February 1916, p.3; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100646494/lillie-mae-trott-is-mrs-h-b-scott-in/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    7. Personals, The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), 28 December 1917, p.10; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87464977/lillie-mae-trott-scott/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    8. 1920 U.S. Census, Bienville, Louisiana, population schedule, ward 4, Ringgold Village,  enumeration district 4, page 2B, dwelling 41, family 41, Herbert Scott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300961_00259?pId=29022921 : accessed 28 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 606.

    9. Pollock Personals, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 28 December 1917, p.10; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87468558/h-b-scott-new-carlillie-mae-trott/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, Filling Station at Pollock Burns; Loss is $2000, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 21 February 1931, p.1; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87470129/burned-filling-station-lillie-mae/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, Pollock Feels Oil Field Boom, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 20 February 1926, p.4; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87466552/lillie-mae-trott-mm-hb-scott/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    10. Pollock, The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), 22 April 1928, p.30; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87468934/state-missionary-meeting-new/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, Pollock Parent Teachers Meet, Weekly Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 21 January 1928, p.6; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87468684/president-of-pta-also-vp-of-wmu/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, Pollock Community Fair Arrangements, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 11 September 1925, p.12; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87466036/mrs-h-b-scott-organizer-of-fair-lillie/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, State PTA Board Holds Meet Today, The Shreveport Journal, 30 September 1932, p.20; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84349595/state-pta-board-lilli-mae-trott-mrs/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    11. Lillie Mae Trott Scott, photograph, ca. 1916; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019. 

    12. Mary Pilkington, The Selma Times-Journal (Selma, Alabama), 23 September 1985, p.7; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58551888/obituary-for-mary-beth-scott-allen/?: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, Pollock, The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), 5 December 1926, p.40; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87467483/jack-anthony-baby-son-of-mr-and-mrs-h/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    13. Pollock Personals, Weekly Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 7 April 1928, p.4; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87468878/mrs-h-b-scott-manager-cafe-lille-mae/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, 1930 U.S. Census, Grant County, Louisiana, Pollock Town, population schedule, supervisor's district no. 5, enumeration district 22-4,  p.1A, dwelling 6, family 6, Herbert B. Scott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4584878_00077?pId=34807365: accessed 24 April 2022); citing NARA microfilm T626.

    14. Pollock, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 14 February 1931, p.2; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87469987/hb-scott-living-in-hope-arkansas-so/: accessed 28 April 2022). Also, H. B. Scott Home at Pollock Burns, Loss Totals $6000, The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 5 October 1931, p.8; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84350519/h-b-scott-home-burns-lillie-mae-trott/: accessed 28 April 2022).

    15. “Murphy-Scott,” The Bienville Democrat,  27 Feb. 1936, p.6, col. 5; database and images, The Digital Archives of The Bienville Parish Library (http://bienville.advantage-preservation.com : accessed 27 August 2021). Also, “Army Life of Pre-War Philippines Was Familiar to Mrs. William B. Allen,” Corpus Christi Times (Corpus Christi, Texas), 27 April 1946, p.4-C; database and images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100675597/mary-beth-scott-allen-dau-of-lillie/ : accessed 8 Dec. 2021).

    16. Ibid.

    17. Find a Grave, database and images  (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8757949/william-wayne-murphey : accessed 28 April 2022), memorial page for LTC William Wayne Murphey, Find a Grave Memorial ID 8757949, citing San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA; Maintained by William Holly (contributor 46616971). 

    18. Lillie Murphey, The Selma Times-Journal (Selma, Alabama), 19 June1985, p.2; database with images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84304632/lilli-mae-murphey-obituary/: accessed 28 April 2022).

Friday's Photo: Ruby Poland Metcalf

26 July 1911 to 15 September 2003 [1]

This photo was found in the Frye family's collection.[2] It is badly stained and I used my very amateurish skill of repairing photos to make it look a little better. The original is below. 

Ruby Louise Poland was the daughter of Alabama Frye and Hardie J. Poland. Her family lived in Fryeburg in Bienville Parish. Ruby was married to Albert Crockett Metcalf. She is buried in Bistineau Cemetery in Heflin, Webster Parish along with her parents and other family members.[3] 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2022 

    1. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38361913/ruby-louise-metcalf : accessed 15 April 2022), memorial page for Ruby Louise Poland Metcalf (26 Jul 1911–15 Sep 2003), Find a Grave Memorial ID 38361913, citing Bistineau Cemetery, Heflin, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA ; Maintained by Ron Manley (contributor 46788603).

    2. Ruby Louise Poland Metcalf, photograph, n.d.; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019.

    3. Find a Grave, memorial  38361913, for Ruby Louise Poland Metcalf. 

Friday's Photo: Charles Lavelle Davis Jr.

Charles Lavelle Davis Jr. 

Source: Lavelle Davis, photograph, abt. 1943; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of the Frye Family, San Francisco, 2019. 

This photograph, found in the Frye family collection, appears to be Charles Lavelle Davis Jr. Inside the folder "Lavelle Davis" is written along the side. Charles Lavelle Davis' obituary states that he was born in Hope (Fryeburg) in Bienville Parish, lived in Minden, and served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. [1] Click on the link in the citation to see a transcription of his obituary and other photos. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2021 

1. Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/112692286/charles-lavelle-davis : accessed 25 July 2021), memorial page for Charles Lavelle “Skeeter” Davis Jr. (21 Jun 1923–20 Jun 2013), Find a Grave Memorial ID 112692286, citing Gardens of Memory Cemetery, Minden, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA; Maintained by JB BERRY (contributor 47068852).

A Revisit to Hope School

Photograph saved by Betty Charlene McDonald Rhodes and shared by her daughter, Rita Rhodes Bates. 
"1930-1931, Hope LA," original photograph from the Rhode family
collection, R. R. Bates, LA.  Accessed February 14, 2021. Used with permission.

"Hope School," original photograph from the Frye Family
collection, C. Frye, CA.  Accessed June 6, 2016, and
June 3, 2019. Used with permission.

Last week, I posted a photo of Hope School and asked for information about its location. Many responded and today, I have a little more to work with.

From what I could find, Hope, now known as Fryeburg, in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, was a small farming community that  “had a church, a school, a gin, several stores, and a blacksmith shop”[1] by 1910. In about 1921 or 1922, an addition was built.[2] After that time, it was usually referred to as Hope High School; however, I am certain students of all grades attended the school. In 1942, an additional building was built by WPA workers. This building was used as a place to serve lunches.[3] The second floor of the school was used as an auditorium for school events as well as church services and funerals.[4] The wood-framed building closed in the 1940s and was torn down in 1945.[5]

The photo above shows one teacher, twenty-six students of varying ages, and a dog during the 1930-1931 school year. I have enlarged the portions to better see the faces of the children.

 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2021 

Sources 

[1] “Fryeburg,” The Bienville Democrat, 11 Aug 1921; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.genealogybank.com/nbshare/AC01061125045607275091613441207: 15 February 2021).

[2]“Notice of Letting Contracts,” State Times Advocate, 27 June 1976; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70928368/addition-to-hope-school/: 15 February 2021).

[3]“Hope High School to Get a New Building,” The Shreveport Journal, 31 Jan 1942; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70986590/hope-hs-building/: 15 February 2021).

[4] “Memories call students home,” The Times, 02 July 1992; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70948346/hope-school-was-torn-down-in-1945/: 15 February 2021).

[5] “Hope School reunion scheduled for Sunday,” The Times, 12 Jun 1992; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71002951/hope-school-reunion/: 15 February 2021).